Rotary drilling apparatus



E. E. GREVE.

ROTARY DRILLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION HLED JAN. 2a. 1921.

l 94379755, Patented Dec. 5, 1922.

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O\i\ A) Patented cc. 5, i922.

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ROTARY DRILLING APPARATUS.

Application led January 28, 1921. Serial No. 440,633.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR E. GREVE, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Bellevue, in the 'county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary' Drilling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. i

My invention relates to improvements in l0 rotary drilling machines, and more particu-V larly tonwhat are known as hydraulic rotary drilling. machines, for otherwells. 4

lMachines of the class to which my invention relates usually include a rotatable centrally apertured table, means for rotating the table, a drive ring'or spider mounted on and connected with the table, said spider or drive ring beingadapted to receive either slips or bushings, a sectional vdrillvstem, and

ay grip or grlef stem connecting the drill 'stem and the rotarytable through the bushings. Theseparts are arranged so that the rip stem has a longitudinal movement tirough the bushings during the operation of drilling. vThe parts are also of such a character as to permit the grip stem and ltheV Sectional drill stem ofl pipe to be lowered or raised through the rotary.

In some machines, provision is made for connecting and disconnecting the sectional drill pipe or stem, and in the present invention, I show a machine of this character.

In the operation of rotary drilling may chines of the character to which the present invention relates, it'has been found that the constructions heretofore employed, particularly in deep well drilling, have givi considerable trouble, due-*to the lateral strains 40 to which the parts are subjected bylthex lateral or swaying movements of the heavy lon drill pipe. o f

'lae present invention i's especially directed to a construction embodying a compact,

e5 strong, and eicient `structure designed to greatly rediice lateral` movement or play of the operative parts. and a'construction embodying replaceable wearing vparts andadjusting means coacting. with (anti-friction 'omeans. l

.A In the accompanying drawings which illustrate an. applicatlorr of my invention,

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view of a operatie of drilling, islek drilling oil and drilling machine embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail view particularly show` lng means for connecting the upper and lower portions of the rotary table. y

Referring to the drawings, 2 designates a bed plate or base/portion upon which a rotary table is mounted. The rotary table, as

illustrated and as preferred, comprises what may be termed the body portion 3 and a top portion 4. As shown, these parts are made having at its lower end an externally threaded portion 7 the latter being designed to be entered in a thrust collar `8 incontact with the base`2.

The rotary table is provided with a central opening 9 adapted to receivea spider or drive ringlO, and the latter structure ris adapted to receive either slips or a bushing,

not shown. Spider 10 is locked to the upper portion of the table by a slidable bolt or pin 11 operable in recesses 12 and 13 respectively formed in said spider and table,

said bolt being designed to be manipulated by the upwardly projecting' lever 14. In cases where the larger drill stems are used, bushings or slips may be positioned incon tact with the walls of opening 9. In this instance, of course, the spider 10 is removed from the machine.

For the purpose of rotating the table and other arts ofthe apparatus, I provide a separable geared drive-member 15 carried on the horlzontal ledge formed on the body of the table. Said member has its gearteeth in mesh with the beveled gearteeth of 'driving `wheel 16. Driving wheel 16 is mounted on an `end of shaft 17, and 18` de s'"` ignates'bearings for 'said shaft. Shaft 17 may be driven shown.

byany suitable means, not

The rotary table which is designed to be i rotatedlby the driveq'nember 15 during' the (i in driving relation with member 1'5 by `means of one or two slidable bolts or pins 19- (one bolt only being shown). Bolt 19, as shown, isl

' in kthe position` to loclr the table and drive or`opening 21 and a chamber 21', whereby table.

mud, fluids, etc., that may be caught in the said chambers or openings is passed freelof the apparatus.

The rotary table is supported by antifriction means carried on the base-plate. The anti-friction means illustrated comprise a 'series of conical rollers 25 disposed with their axes on a plane slightly inclined to the horizontal. For the purpose of receiving the lroller bearings, the base is ,pro-

vided with an annular raceway 26 and the table is cut away, as shown at 27. Interposed between the rollers and the raceway, I provide :mL-shaped roller receiving and wear plate-member 28, and between the rollers and the table, a member 29 having an inclined roller contacting face 30. These bearingmeans, arranged as shown, aid in preventing or'reducing the lateral play or movement of the table while the same is rotating. i

`31 designates a slidable pinfor locking the table to the lbase' when it isdesired to rotate member 15 independently of the The drawings show pin 31 moved away from a recess 32 in the table and disposed in an opening 33 formed in an .exten- Vsion 34 'of the base, while in the position just described, it will be understood that the table is free to rotate. The, pin or bolt 31 is moved byineans of a handle 35'.

vInterposed between the rotary table and the drive member 15, I provide vertically i means -36, and located adjacent ,the lower extending removable bearing and weari 0' .edge of means ,36 are anti-friction means 37. Means `37, as illustrated, comprise two flat horizontally disposed rings, and the first of the desired height and -thickness.

\ ring or collar 39. -It will be understood vthat the thrust ring 39 is designed to take care' mentioned'means an annular plate or The upper portion 4 of the' rotary table is threaded as show-n at 38 for the purpose of engaging the'interior threads ofxa thrustof the adjustment .relatively to' the antifriction means.. 37, andthat it `cooperates withcollar 8--for maintainingthe parts in compact relationship movement thereof.

40 designates an oil reservoir formed in member 15, and 4l a passage leading thererias and prevents verticall from to the anti-friction means 37. By these means, the space containing means,37 is kept flooded with oil and the overflow is conveyed through a passage 42 to the space y surrounding the bearings 25, and from thence out of the apparatus ythrough the space between the drive wheel 16 and thetongues 43 and 44 entered in grooves 44a..l i It will be understood that any foreign matter working inwardlyy towards the bearings will the caught in the space 45, and will be thrown outwardly through a series of openings 46, free of the machine. `4'?" designates a pocket of member 15 adapted toreceive an end of a tong carryin member, not

shown, employed in connection with screwing and unscrewing the `drill pipe sections. The rotary table is also provided with a similar pocket 48 to receive another tong member used in the operation of connecting and disconnecting the pipe sections.

In operationLassuming drilling is being performed, the parts are in a position shown by the drawings, that is to say, the table is` locked in driving relation with drive member 15`by the bolts 19 and unlocked from the basedue tothe fact that the bolt 31 is withdrawn from engagement with the table.

vWhen it is desired to connect or disconnect a drill pipe section, the drill pipe is raised Vin the usual way, the housing, not shown,

removed from the spider l0, or out of contact with the .inclinedwalls of the table, as the case may be, and slips (not shown) placed in position for the p'urpose of supporting theA section. or sections below the rotary table.. Bolt 19 is moved outwardly from the recess 20, thus unlockingthe drivi ing member 15, and thel table and bolt 31 moved inwardly to lock the table to the base portion. With the parts in the positions just described, the driving member may be rotated independently of the table.

What Ifclaiin is: v 1. In a 'rotary drilling machine, an apertured rotary table, a separable geared driv.-

ing member, a' driving gear cooperating' with said member, means operable for locking the driving member and table in drivingl relation, va vertically extending removable bearing member disposed between the table and driving member, and removable means on the table for holding the driving -member and bearing-member hin position on the table. y 2. In a rotary drilling machine,an apertable in driving relation, a vertically exltured rotary table, a 'separable geared drivist Itending bearing and horizontally disposed anti-friction means between the table and the driving member, and an annular channel on the table for the reception of the hori- `zoi itally disposed anti-friction means.

3. In a rotary drilliii machine, a base portion, a raceway in sai base portion having bearings therein, a rotary table mounted on said bearings, a separable. geared driving member, a driving gear cooperating with said member, vertically extending bearings disposed between the table and the driving -inember, removable means on the table over- Ihanging said driving member and holding it on the table, means operable for locking the driving member and table in driving relation, and means operable for holding the table against rotation when it is desired to rotate only the driving member.

4. In a rotary drilling machine, an apertured rotary table, a separable geared driving member, a driving gear lcooperating with said member, means operable for locking the table and said member in driving relation, anti-friction means disposed between the table and the driving member, said. antifriction means including av vertically extending annular member and horizontally disposed-rings, and a channel on said table for the reception of said rings.

5. In a rotary drillingmachine, a base portion, bearings in the base "portion, a rotary table .supported on the bearings andhaving a depending portion, a separable geared drivin member, a driving gear cooperating wit p said member, a thrust collar' engaging the depending portion of the table, a thrust collar engaging the upper portion of the table,`and retaining the-driving member in position.

6. In a rotary drilling machine, a base portion, bearings`I in the base portion, a rotary table supported -onjthe bearings andy I having a ydepending portion, a separable elo base, 'a rotary table supported thereon, a-

geared driving member, `a driving gear cooperating with said member, a thrust collar engaging the depending portion of the table, a thrust collarengaging the upper. portion of the tab1e, and `anti-'friction means disposed between.v the drive member and table 7. A rotary drilling machine comprising a drive member, anti-friction bearingsL-between the drive member and table, and means for preventing the entrance of mud into said anti-friction` bearings comprising cooperating tongues and grooveson the table and drive member, and means permitting material to drain from the groovesl in the table. I l

8. In a rotary drilling machine, a base portion, a raceway in said base ortion having bearings therein, a rotary ta le mounted on said bearings, a separable geared driving member, adriving gear cooperating there'- with, anti'friction means disposed between the table and driving member, an oilA reservoir on the driving member,`and ports for the passage of oil from the reservoir to the anti-friction means and thence to the bearings in lthe base portion. 4

9. In a .rotary drillingl machine, an apertured rotar string of pipe, a separable geareddriving member supported on the table, means operable for locking the table and driving member in driving relation, means on the table overhanging the drive member xfor normally preventing vertical movement of the drive member relatively to the table, and antifriction means disposed between the table and the driving member.

table designed Lto sup-port a 10. A rotary drilling machine comprising t a base, a rotary table supported thereon, a driving member, anti-friction bearings between the drive member and table, and

means for preventing the` ,entrance of mud into said anti-friction bearings comprising cooperating tongues and grooves on the table and drive member.

11. In a rotary drilling machine, an apertured rotary table comprising a main body memberand an upper detachable member, a separable driving member, a driving means lcooperating with said member, means' operable forv locking the drive member and table in driving relation, and a vertically extending removable bearing member disposed between the table and driving member.

12. ,In a rotary vdrilling machine, an apertured rotary table comprising a main body member andJ an upper detachable member, a separable driving member, a driving means cooperating with said member, means oper'- able forlocking the drive member and table in driving relation,A a vertically extending` bearing and horizontally disposed anti-friotion means between the table and driving member. v f.-

13. -In a rotary drilling machine, an apertured rotary table, a separable driving member carried on the table, a driving means cooperating with said' member, means operable for locking the driving member andV table in driving relation, and? means on the table engaging the driving member for normall holding said driving member against verting said driving member against cooperating with said member, means-operable for locking the driving member and table in operative relation, and .vertically adjustable means engaging theA driving member K. for normally holding sald driving member against verticalqmovelnent relatively` to the table. 1

16. A rotary drilling machine comprising a base, an apertured rotary table thereon, said table having a reduced upper part and a Ahorizontal ledge thereon intermediate its reduced upper part and its lower end, a driving ring surrounding the reduced up er por- Y reduced tion of the table and supported onsald ledge, the body of the drive ring being disposed in a plane above the ledge, yand bearingl ledge, the body of the drive. ring being disposed in a plane above the ledge, bearing means between the led e and drive ring, and a vertical bearing sur ace disposed between the reduced upper portion of the table and the drive,ring. i

18k. -A rotary drilling machine comprising a base, an apertured rotary table thereon, said table having a reduced upper part thereon and a ledge intermediate the reduced upper part of the table and its bottom, a "drive ring surrounding the reduced upper part of the table and carried on the ledge by lsuitable bearing means, and a vertical bearing ring between the reduced upper part of the table and the drive ring and of a height substantially equal to the thickness of the drive ring.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDGAR E. GREVE. Witnesses: A i y Lois WINEMAN,

WM. H. PARMEIm-x. 

